Cons:

One of my favorite aspects of Fallout 3 was how the game told so many interesting stories of life after the bomb, and from so many different perspectives. Every terminal was a bite-sized reading experience to be devoured, and every quest was a new chapter in the story of an alternate universe where international hostilities escalated beyond control, buttons were pushed, and now humanity is on the brink of extinction.

"...And let this be an example of how not to replace humans with machines."

That was one of my favorite lines from my time playing The Pitt, the latest downloadable content expansion for Fallout 3, our 2008 Game of the Year. The simple act of unlocking a door and hacking a terminal to pick up some supplies led me to one of the expansion's more poignant and interesting stories. It wasn't even part of a conversation with a major NPC -- just the closing to one of Fallout 3's signature back stories, providing a flash of insight into this broken world. These final words provided another brief glimpse into one of the many lives that I'll remember for more than the skeletal remains they left behind, or the supplies I scavenged from their corpse.

If The Pitt is looked back on as a success, it will be because it manages to feel more like a story-driven role-playing game, unlike Operation Anchorage, Bethesda's previous foray into the world of downloadable Fallout 3 content. It sticks to the formula that made people happy, even if it does once again give you another lame reason to take away all your hard-earned gear. Ah well, look upon it as an opportunity to brush up on those melee and unarmed skills. You'll want to complete the quest that first sends you into The Pitt, after all, because you're a goodie two-shoes sort of character that thrives on racking up the good karma, right? (If not, there might be a big reward in it for ya.)

The new enemies introduced in The Pitt are similar to the feral ghouls from the original game, in that they look like humans who have lost the surface layer of skin, exposing the muscle and sinew beneath, and have reverted to a more animalistic, barbaric, and aggressive mindset. Besides encounters with these beasts, you'll also take part in a couple unique fights that are unlike any you experienced in the Capital Wasteland, though they may bring back memories of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.

Weaponwise, the main attraction in The Pitt is Bethesda's incredibly cool take on a post-apocalyptic chainsaw -- the Auto Axe. The steelworking slaves in The Pitt have turned the tools of their trade (and leftover hubcaps) into a weapon that is a circular saw version of everyone's favorite zombie-killer. There are a couple new guns to use, including a silenced assault rifle, as well as some interesting new armor options, but slicing enemies apart with the "Man Opener" will likely be the most fun in the long-term.